Railway car hydraulic roll stabilizer



Dec. 30, 1969 J. nonsens RAILWAY GAR HYDRAULIC ROLL STABILIZER 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 26, 1967 Dec. 30,v 1969 f 1 J. RoDGERs 3,486,466

RA ILWAY CAR HYDRAUL I C ROLL S TAB ILI ZVER Filed June 2-6, 1967 3 Sheets- Sheet 2 Dec. 30, 1969 i 1 J. RoDGERs 3,486,466

RAILWAY CAR HYDRAULIC ROLL STABILIZER Filed June 26, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 15 UnitedStates Patent O U.S. Cl. 105-199 8 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE Two coaxial shafts are mounted in bearings secured to a railway car body supported upon a car truck which includes side frames supported upon Wheel and axle assemblies. Motion of the car body relative to the side frames of the car truck is transmitted by connecting rods from the side frames through cranks secured to the outer ends of the shafts, thereby causing the shafts to rotate relative to one another. The inner end of one of the shafts is secured to a vane having a restricted opening therein and rotatable ina sealed housing. The inner end of the other shaft is secured to the housing. Outlet and inlet passages in the housing are connected with check valves which allow substantially unrestricted rotation of the vane in one direction. Fluid ow in the other direction of rotation is restricted to the opening in the vane. A Ireservoir and check valves are connected to the outlet passages to compensate for pressure variations in the system.

This invention relates to improvements in stabilizing devices for railway vehicles and more particularly to a hydraulic device and connecting means therefor, which inhibit lateral rolling or rocking of the car body relative to the car truck in such vehicles.

During the normal operation of a railway vehicle, vertical irregularities in the track may cause the car body to roll from side to side relative to the car truck at a certain frequency. As this frequency :approaches the natural frequency of the railway vehicle, a condition of resonance may occur, thereby greatly amplifying the degree of roll. In order to minimize this effect, a countervailing force is required between the car body and the car truck.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a device which will minimize railway car roll caused by rail irregularities.

The above and other objects will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description, and in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view, with certain parts removed, of a railway car body supported on a car truck and incorporating features of the presently described invention;

FIGURE 2 is a simplified perspective view of a portion of a railway vehicle which incorporates the present invention;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the connecting rod and crank of the present device;

FIGURE 4 is an end elevational view of that portion of the device shown in FIGURE 3, from the left of that figure;

FIGURE 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of the hydraulic clutch mechanism, taken substantially along line 5 5 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIGURE 5; and

FIGURE 7 is a schematic illustration of the hydraulic connections used in the present invention.

3,486,466 Patented Dec. 30, 1969 ICC It will be understood that certain details have been omitted from some views for the sake of clarity or in instances Where those details are better illustrated in other views.

The car body roll herein referred to may be best illustrated by reference to FIGURE 1, which shows a railway car truck 10 supporting a car body 12. The car truck 10 comprises a pair of spaced side frames 14 supported upon wheel and axle assemblies 16, the wheels of which assemblies travel on rails. A truck bolster 18 having a center plate 19 extends between side frames 14 and is supported near its ends on spring groups, indicated diagrammatically at 20, within the side frames. The car body 12 is supported on a car bolster 22 having a center plate 24 which rests on the center plate 19 of the truck bolster 18. Side bearings 26 having pads 28 are mounted adjacent opposite ends of the truck bolster 18 and are engageable with bearings 30 on the car bolster 22.

During normal operation of the vehicle shown, substantially all of the Weight of the car body 12 acts upon the truck bolster 18 through the center plates 24 and 19. The side bearings 26 serve to stabilize the car during negotiation of curves, but ordinarily provide no support for the car body.

As the wheels 16 roll along the rails 11, elevations or depressions in each rail, such as those caused by staggered rail joints, may cause the car body 12 to rock from side to side on its center plate 24 relative to the car truck 10. This condition is amplified at certain speeds if the wheels 16 pass over rail irregularities at appropriate times in the roll cycle, and the side bearings 26 and 30 may engage with considerable force. The present invention contemplates the provision of suitable means to oppose those forces generated by such motion of the car body relative to the side frames.

With reference to FIGURES 1 and 2, the inventive device is supported upon the lower structural members of the car body. In this instance, two spaced transverse support members 32 and 34 are secured between the car body side sills 36 and 38. A plurality of bearing mounts 46 are secured between transverse support members 32 and 34 and carry bearings 44 in which are journaled two coaxial shafts 40 and 42. At least one crank 48 is secured near the outboard end of shafts 40 and 42, and a connecting rod 50 is provided between each side frame 52 of the car truck 10l and a corresponding crank. Connecting rods 50 serve to transmit rocking motions of the car body relative to the car truck to cranks 48, which causes the shafts 40 and 42 to rotate in opposite directions.

As shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, means is provided on connecting rods 50 to allow swiveling in a horizontal plane of the car truck relative to the car body, which most often occurs when the vehicle is negotiating a curve. A ball joint is provided at the lower end of rod 50' and comprises a ball member 200 protected on both sides by shims 202 and 204 and connected by a pin 206 between spaced vertical members 208 and 210 of a bracket 212 secured to the side frame 52. The lower end of Irod 50 has a socket 214 complementary with ball member 200, thereby forming a ball joint.

Means are provided to adjust the length of rod 50, which comprises upper and lower threaded rod sections 216 and 218 respectively, connected by an internally threaded sleeve 220 and held in adjustment by jam nuts 222 on each of said rod sections and abutting said sleeve.

The upper end of upper rod section 216 has a similar ball joint. In this instance, however, the ball 224 is held by a bolt 226 and nut 228. The bolt 226 also passes through at least one, and in this case, two cranks 230 and 232 which are secured at their other ends to one of the aforementioned shafts 40 or 42 (FIGURE 2),

the inboard ends of which terminate in a hydraulic clutch mechanism 54.

The clutch mechanism 54 is best illustrated in FIG- URES and 6. A housing 55 is provided by the combination of a cylindrical member 56 and end plates 58 and 60 secured and sealed to said cylindrical member by bolts 62 and ring seals 63. As shown in FIGURE 5, cylindrical member 56 has two inwardly projecting V- shaped sections 64 and 66 with opposing inner radial surfaces 68 and 70 respectively. Two outlet passages are formed in each section (passages 71 and 72 in section 64 and passages 73 and 74 in section V66), which lead outside the housing 55 through respective tubes 75, 76, 77 and 78.

Inlet openings 81 and 83 leading from respective tubes- 85 and 87 are also formed in cylindrical member 56 intermediate the sections 64 and 66.

As shown in FIGURE 6, one of the aforementioned shafts 40 extends through the housing 55 and is journaled in sleeve bearings 80 and 82 within respective sleeves 84 and 86 secured to and extending outward from respective end plates 58 and 60. Ring seals 88 and 90 are provided in respective sleeves 84 and 86 around shaft 40 to prevent leakage of hydraulic fluid from the mechanism. The other shaft 42 is ixedly secured to sleeve 86 and thereby made integral with housing 55.

As shown in FIGURE 5, a vane member 92 within housing 55 is secured to and is rotatable with the shaft 40 extending through housing 55. Vane member 92 comprises a cylindrical hub 94 secured to shaft 40 and slidably associated with opposing radial surfaces 68 and 70 on respective V-shaped sections -64 and 66 in the cylindrical housing member 56. A pair of coaxial arms 96 and 98, integral with hub 94, extend radially from said hub and are slidably associated with the inner cylindrical surface 100 of the cylindrical housing member 56 between the V-shaped sections 64 and 66 thereof. Arms 96 and 98 are operative to simultaneously block respective openings 81 and 83 in cylindrical member 56 and also contain respective orifices 102 and 103.

It may thus be seen that the housing 55 and the vane member 92 together form four enclosed chambers 104, 106, 108, and 110 communicating with respective passages 71, 73, 72 and 74. Orice 102 serves as a restricted passage between upper chambers 104 and 106, and orifice 103 similarly connects the lower chambers 108 and 110, The openings 81 and 83 also communicate with the chambers in the event that the arms 96 and 98 are displaced from their normal position by rotation of the shaft 40 relative to the housing 55.

As shown in FIGURE 5, the vane member 92 is rotatable with shaft 40 in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions, indicated by arrow 112, to the two extreme positions indicated by dotted lines at 114 'and 116. Preferably, the clutch mechanism 54 is designed such that maximum torsional forces on the shafts 40 and 42 will not cause abutment of the vane arms 96 and 98 with the sections 64 and 66 of the cylindrical housing member 56.

The hydraulic system used in conjunction with the above device is best illustrated schematically in FIGURE 7. A valve system is provided to allow relatively free rotation of the vane member 92 away from the normal position indicated in the drawing, but to provide hydraulic resistance against the return of said vane member to its normal position. With reference to the upper chambers 104 and 106, respective branch lines 118 and 120 are provided from outlet passages 71 and 73, both of which lines lead back into the clutch mechanism through the upper inlet opening 81. Check valves 122 and 124 on respective branches 118 and 120 permit only one-way flow therethrough from outlet passages 71 and 73 to inlet opening 81. Thus, if vane member 92 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction, the volume of chamber 104 is reduced and hydraulic fluid is forced through check valve 122 and into opening 81. Since the end of arm 96 has moved to the left, the iluid may enter enlarged chamber 106, thereby maintaining a total pressure balance between the upper chambers.

As the vane member 92 attempts to return to its normal position by rotating in a clockwise direction, check Valve 122 closes, and hydraulic fluid must be forced through restricted orifice 102, rather than through branch lines 118 and 120. It will be noted that substantially no hydraulic uid is forced through line 120, since the pressure on opening 81 and passage 73 is substantially the same. The operation of the lower chambers 108 and 110 is identical to that of the upper chambers 104 and 106 and will not be described in detail.

In order to compensate for any leaks in the system, a reservoir tank 126 is provided. Branches 128, 130, 132 and 134 lead from the tank 126 into respective chambers 104, 108, 106 and 110; respective check valves 136, 138, and 142 are provided on said branches to allow only downstream flow from the tank.

Also, corresponding upper and lower chambers are interconnected by branch lines. Chambers 104 and 110 are connected by a branch 144 between respective outlet passages 71 and 74. Similarly, branch 146 connects outlet passages 73 and 72 of respective chambers 106 and 108, thereby providing a balanced system.

It has been found that minor oscillating or vibrating motions of the vane member 92 may have a pumping effect on the system which will cause hydraulic fluid pressure to be drawn from the reservoir tank with consequent increases in pressure. In order to maintain an upper pressure limit, reservoir tanks`148 and 150 equipped with pressure relief valves 152 and 154 may be provided on respective interconnecting lines 144 and 146 to bleed off excess pressure in the system. It will be apparent that pressure relief valves 152 and 154 may be connected by appropriate tubing to a single tank, such as that at 126.

Operation of the entire system may be summarized by reference to FIGURES 2 and 7. When the car body is substantially level relative to the side frames 52, the vane member 92 is in its normal position indicated in FIGURE 5. Rolling or rocking of the car body relative to the side frames 52 will cause shafts 40 and 42 to rotate in opposite directions, thereby causing vane member 92 to rotate relative to housing 55, thereby causing fluid to flow from one chamber into an adjoining chamber. As the car body tends to return to its normal position, fluid flow in the hydraulic system is 'blockedI except for flow through the orifices 102 and 103. Flow is thus restricted until the vane member 92 reaches its normal position. Roll of the car body relative to the side frames is therefore dampened by yieldingly resisting relative rotation in one direction of roll. It will `be understood that the size of the orifices 102 and 103 may be modified to regulate the dampening characteristics of the system.

The hydraulic system is also self-regulated by means of a reservoir 126 for supplying any hydraulic iluid lost by leaks in the system and by means of pressure relief valves 152 and 154 for bleeding olf excess pressure in the system.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed 1. In conjunction with a railway vehicle having a car body supported upon a car truck including spaced side frames supported upon wheel and axle assemblies, a hydraulic roll stabilizer which comprises a duality of coaxial shafts positioned transversely of the ycar `body and journaled therein, crank means secured proximate the outboard end of each shaft, connecting rod means operatively connecting said crank means with a corresponding side frame of the car truck, hydraulic means associated with the inboard ends of said shafts, said hydraulic means being operative to dampen rotation of said shafts relative to each other in one direction, said direction corresponding to that motion generated in returning to normal position after the car body has rocked to either side relative to the side frames.

2. In conjunction with a railway vehicle having a car body supported upon a car truck including side frames supported upon wheel and axle assemblies, a hydraulic" roll stabilizer which comprises a hydraulic clutch mechanism including:

-a housing and an enclosure defined thereby,

hydraulic liuid in said enclosure,

a vane member rotatable in said housing and dividing said enclosure into at least two chambers,

said vane member being operative to force hydraulic fluid from either of said chambers during rotation thereof, and having a restricted orifice therein communicating between the chambers,

separate means for allowing one-way flow of hydraulic uid out of one chamber and into the other chamber during rotation of said vane mem-ber in one direction, said separate means being operative to retain said hydraulic fluid in said other chamber during rotation of said vane member in the other direction; and

means responsive to rocking of the car body relative to the side frames for rotating said vane member relative to said housing.

3. In conjunction with a railway vehicle having a car body supported upon a car truck including side frames supported on wheel and axle assemblies, a hydraulic roll stabilizer which comprises a duality of coaxial shafts positioned transversely of the car body and journaled therein, crank means secured to the outboard end of each shaft, connecting rod means operatively connecting each crank with a corresponding side frame of the car truck, hydraulic means associated with the inboard ends of said shafts, said hydraulic means including a housing secured to the inboard end of one of said shafts, an enclosure defined by said housing, a vane member secured to the inboard end of the other of said shafts, said vane member rotatable within said housing and dividing said enclosure into at least two chambers, an outlet passage and an inlet opening in each of said chambers, said vane member being operative to force hydraulic iluid from either of said chambers through said outlet passage by rotation of said vane member, a'restricted orice in said vane member communicating between said chambers, and a hydraulic line between said outlet passages and inlet openings of respective chambers, said lines including check valve means to prevent fluid flow from said openings to said passages.

4. The invention according to claim 3 wherein said housing comprises two end plates with a cylindrical member secured therebetween, said cylindrical member including two inwardly projecting V-shape sections with opposing inner radial surfaces thereon, and wherein said vane member comprises a hub journaled within said radial surfaces and a duality of coaxial arms extending from said hub and engaging the inner cylindrical sur* face of said -cylindrical member between said sections.

5. The invention according to claim 3 wherein said vane member divides said enclosure into four chambers, a hydraulic line interconnecting every other chamber, and pressure relief valve means connected to each of said lines for preventing excessive pressure build up in the system.

6. In conjunction with a railway vehicle having a car body supported upon a car truck including side frames supported upon wheel and axle assemblies, a device for preventing excessive roll of the car body relative to the side frames of the truck which comprises a duality of coaxial shafts positioned transversely of the car body and journaled therein, crank means secured to the outboard end of each shaft above respective side frames, connecting rod means pivotally connected to said crank means and a top portion of the respective side frames, hydraulic means associated with the inboard endsof said shafts, said hydraulic means comprising a housing including two end plates with a cylindrical member secured and sealed therebetween, bearing and sealmeans in each end plate, the inboard end of one of said shafts extending through said housing and journaled in said bearing means, the inboard end of the other shaft secured to said housing, said cylindrical member including two opposing V-shape sections therein with respective opposing radial surfaces, a vane member secured to said one shaft,within said housing, said vane member including a hub journaled in the opposing radial surfaces of said V-shape sections, a duality of coaxial arms extending from. said hub and engaging the inner cylindrical surface of said cylindrical member to define two upper and two lower chambers, a restricted orifice in each of said arms, an v,outlet passage from each of said chambers through said sections, an inlet opening to said upper and lower chambers through said housing intermediate said sections, hydraulic fluid in said chambers, a hydraulic line connect'ed between the outlet passages of said upper chambers'and the inlet opening thereof, a second hydraulic branch connected Ibetween the outlet passages of said lower chambers and the inlet opening thereof, and check valve means on each of said iirst and second branches, said check valve means being operative to prevent hydraulic fluid flow from said inlet opening toward said outlet passages.

7. The invention according to claim 6 wherein a third and fourth hydraulic branch connects the outlet passages of each of said upper chambers to the outlet passage of respective opposite lower chambers, and a reservoir tank including check and relief valve means is connected to said third and fourth branches, whereby excessive pressure -build up in the system is prevented.

8. The invention according to claim 7 wherein each of said outlet passages is connected to a reservoir by a branch, each of said last-mentioned branches having check valve means operative to allow only hydraulic uid ow out of said last-mentioned reservoir.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,960,941 ll/1960 Li 10S-164 ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner H. BELTRAN, Assistant Examiner U.S. C1. X.R. 

